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had to smile

Ths morning when helping a bonsai person at our local retail store. The subject came up of their frustration with those folks who buy perfectly aged and prepared subjects for the show and rack in the prizes.

I then explained about a similar situation in the koi hobby. Those that fly in a stealth GC.

He'd been in the hobby three years and thru the conversation learned he was better in his knowledge then most others with this time in grade.

All I could tell him for encouragement was that if he solely wanted prizes then buy perfected trees. If he wanted to earn the knowledge, then put the time in and learn how to position a tree so that it can begin to show promise.

I told him he will meet folks with similar expectations and birds of a feather can flock and support each other together. Earning respect as each year they progress. As for those who buy their winners,
ask for permission to visit a year later and see what shape the koi or tree is in. That way you can respect those with ability and mean$. Without them we might miss seeing what is possible to accomplish. you always need someone to set the bar. And for those with mean$ and no knowledge, it soon becomes apparent.and nothing more really needs to be said.

so sometimes if you think our hobby of koi has it's unique challenges, know that we're not alone.

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Comment

Recently I looked at a bonsai masters philosophy I would call zen.......instead of following a method of shaping the tree to our standard.......the owner would study the features the plant was exhibiting and draw from that to have the tree itself feature its strong points from what it was showing us. I like that.....instead of forcing our will on the plant......look for what it is telling us as to what are it’s strong points. A sucker for spring flowering season.....I have just about every colored quince there is.......and am venturing into crabapple, retired I had to sell my former place with its Japanese garden and koi pond.....sure miss my asagii